The Soccer Thread

[Prodigal Son]

Just got back home from the US Open Cup qualifier up here in Seattle. It was Real Salt Lake vs. the Sounders. Sat with the ultra's, fucking fantastic. The most fun I've had at a soccer game.

[wr50l]

:rolleyes1: Ronaldo

On the rare occassion when he bothers to defend deep on the wing ... Gibbs nutmegs him (lol) Ronaldo trips Gibbs, Gibbs gets up and continues down the wing, Ronaldo (still on his arse) looks to the referee arms in the air because he didn't get a freekick.

I don't think I've actually seen Ronaldo be a part of a challenge and not sulk on the floor for a few seconds after it at any point this season.

[Bigpapa42]

Disappointing result but not bad for Arsenal. Its definitely still a winnable situation in the second leg.

[calgaryballer]

Here is where all the West Ham money will go

http://www.football365.com/story/0,17033,8652_5255837,00.html

Barnsley want to recoup the money of Ian Hume being seriously injured by a very professional foul. Seems like a lot of political clout getting behind it

[Boss AZ]

:rolleyes1: Ronaldo

On the rare occassion when he bothers to defend deep on the wing ... Gibbs nutmegs him (lol) Ronaldo trips Gibbs, Gibbs gets up and continues down the wing, Ronaldo (still on his arse) looks to the referee arms in the air because he didn't get a freekick.

I don't think I've actually seen Ronaldo be a part of a challenge and not sulk on the floor for a few seconds after it at any point this season.

I think you're obsessed with Cristiano Ronaldo.

[Senser81]

Disappointing result but not bad for Arsenal. Its definitely still a winnable situation in the second leg.

Yeah, considering how bad Arsenal look, being down 1-0 is probably the best outcome they could have expected. Arsenal never really even got the ball into the penalty box the entire game. Very strange. I thought Almunia played well, but the rest of the team was garbage. Were Adebayor and Nasri even on the pitch?

[wr50l]

I think you're obsessed with Cristiano Ronaldo.

Obsessed with showing up the arrogant half-hearted cunt yes. Walks about the park thinking he's God and doesn't bother to help his team going backwards, then the one time he incidentally ends up in his own half where he has to do something he gets absolutely embarrassed by a guy I've never even seen play for Arsenal and takes a strop. Made my day!

but the rest of the team was garbage. Were Adebayor and Nasri even on the pitch?

If you'll notice on the corner that resulted in the goal at the back post there were three or four Man U players and no Gunners. Adebayor's only notable contribution to the match was being well out of position!

[1ke]

An interesting story I think Coming out of Italy. I hope it all works out.

[/MILAN (AP) - Italy's Serie A clubs plan to break away from the second-tier Serie B and create their own independent top flight, similar to England's Premier League.

All but Lecce of the 20 clubs in Serie A issued a statement on Thursday saying they would be breaking away to set up the "Serie A football league."

"We've made a new first division," Palermo president Maurizio Zamparini told ANSA news agency. "Am I satisfied? No, but it is necessary."

Clubs such as Juventus, Inter Milan and AC Milan have long campaigned for greater autonomy and have looked enviously at England's Premier League, which created a financial revolution that made its clubs the richest in the world after it broke away from England's Football League in 1992.

Italian clubs have come in for scathing criticism after only Udinese, in the UEFA Cup, reached the quarterfinals of a European competition this season. In response, clubs have claimed they are unable to compete with the wages offered by English and Spanish sides.

Maurizio Beretta, a former journalist, has been chosen to set up the new league, the statement said.

"The mandate is clear," he told reporters. "To start building a first division. There are various aspects to sort out. The mechanism will be put in place over the next 12 months."

AC Milan vice president Adriano Galliani told ANSA: "We will start work on this league straight away, because it has to be in operation by July 1, 2010. We have told the president of the Italian federation."

[Bigpapa42]

Yeah, considering how bad Arsenal look, being down 1-0 is probably the best outcome they could have expected. Arsenal never really even got the ball into the penalty box the entire game. Very strange. I thought Almunia played well, but the rest of the team was garbage. Were Adebayor and Nasri even on the pitch?

The Arsenal side is just inconsistent. Same problem they've had for a couple of years now. They've shown they can hang with and beat any of the other Big Four, and some of Europe's best. But they can also just turn in stinkers. Is it just youth? I hope so, and I hope they grow out of it. But quickly. Its consistently that has kept them from really being in the title race the past couple of seasons.

[1ke]

^^^ I agree, but a major problem may be that the young players just are not patient and take the money and leave to another club. They lose players every summer and then they replace them with very very talented kids. A cycle that cant be healthy.

But totally switching topics. I never thought Arshavin was that little, and he is AMAZING.

[calgaryballer]

Big el Classico today. Madrid can really pile the pressure on. Game starts at noon MST (2 est)

[calgaryballer]

Madrid up 1-0 early on a nice Higuan goal

[calgaryballer]

Barca up 2-1! I closed it for like 5 minutes and the game has been turned on its head

[calgaryballer]

3-1! Barca have pretty much ended it

[calgaryballer]

Barca have all but won the title after that 6-2 destruction